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ISBN 978-1-921742-19-4
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Contents
Background 2
Introduction 3
Why use dashboard reports?
Limitations of dashboard reporting
Creating dashboard reports
4
4
5
Data collection
Frequency 8
Conclusion 14
Appendix A: Dashboard reporting a case study
15
Background
Author
This guide was prepared by Jan Barned CPA, principal of
Financial Management Trainer, fmtrainer.com.au
Contributors
CPA Australia gratefully acknowledges the input of
Trevor Beckingham FCPA, company secretary of Brisco
Butler Automotive Services and Mike Sewell FCPA,
director of Market Gap Investments.
Introduction
Limitations of dashboard
reporting
What to include in a
dashboard report
Step 3 identify the key strategic goals and other key goals
of the business from the business plan and sub-plans, such
as the marketing plan.
Step 4 incorporate key risks into the report. For example,
reporting on the likelihood of breaches of compliance
requirements (such as bank covenants or accreditation).
Step 5 incorporate opportunities into the report such as
forecast information and trends.
Step 6 consider who will be using the dashboard report.
Considering who the audience is will ensure that the
reports can be developed to meet their needs. While it may
be relatively simple to identify the users of the report, a
business evaluation may highlight other potential users of
the report, such as those responsible for problem areas.
Metrics should be easy to create, understand and explain. They should be aligned with any assumptions used in the
business, only highlight the most important issues and provide information on trends (positive or negative).
It will be important to set only as many metrics as necessary for the dashboard report. Remember the report is to be used as
a trigger for further analysis, not to include micro-level details of the business.
The dashboard report should also be flexible so that new metrics can be introduced and metrics that are no longer relevant
can be omitted.
When developing the dashboard report, it is important to remember that dashboard reporting is most effective where the
number of metrics reported on is limited to the key drivers and risks of the business.
Table 1 below provides examples of the types of information that should be considered including in dashboard reporting. This
table is not intended to provide a complete list. Those developing the dashboard should keep front of mind that the report will
be most useful where there is a mix-n-match of relevant information. Please remember, a business should concentrate on
preparing metrics for the few key drivers and risks that are most relevant to decision makers.
Table 1: Examples of the types of information that could be included in a dashboard report
Business area
Sales
Sales information can be reported as an individual dashboard report or included in the overall business report.
Examples of information that could be included are:
sales for the period (weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually)
comparison of sales for same period previous year
comparison against budgeted sales
cumulative sales for the period
total discounts applied
total discounts as a percentage of sales
number of sales
average value of sales
percentage of sales that are:
cash
credit
sales by employee
sales by item
top selling items
sales growth rate
number of new customers
Work in progress
Gross profit
Business area
Net profit
Business efficiency
Cashflow/liquidity
Balance sheet
Business planning
Other key
performance
indicators
This is dependent on the nature of the business, the goals of the business, business drivers and risks.
Data collection
Frequency
$100,000
30%
$80,000
$80,000
$70,000
25%
$60,000
$60,000
20%
$50,000
15%
$40,000
$40,000
$30,000
$20,000
10%
$20,000
5%
$10,000
$0
0%
$Mth 1
($20,000)
Mth 1
Mth 2
Mth 3
Actual
Mth 4
Mth 5
Mth 6
Budget
Mth 7
Mth 8
Mth 9
Cumulative actual
Mth 2
Cost of sales
Mth 3
Gross profit
Cumulative budget
Monthly
Monthly net
net profit
Monthlysales
sales
Monthly
$10,000
$100,000
$90,000
$80,000
$70,000
$60,000
$50,000
$40,000
$30,000
$20,000
$10,000
$-
20%
$8,000
10%
$6,000
0%
$4,000
$2,000
-10%
$0
-20%
($2,000)
($4,000)
Mth 1
Mth 2
Mth 3
Mth 4
Mth 5
Mth 6
Actual
Mth 7
Mth 8
Mth 9
-30%
($6,000)
-40%
($8,000)
Mth 1
Budget
Net profit
Mth 2
Mth 3
Net profit margin
Cashflow
Mth 1
Mth 2
Actual
Mth 3
Mth 4
Mth 5
Mth 6
Mth 7
Mth 8
Mth 9
Mth 10
Mth 10
Mth 12
Forecast
Open bank
$16,000 $15,225 $37,217 $60,817 $71,134 $69,784 $77,381 $32,698 $31,348 $38,945 $24,262 $22,912
Cashflow in
$67,200 $68,400 $73,200 $67,200 $79,600 $73,200 $67,200 $79,600 $73,200 $67,200 $79,600 $73,200
Cashflow out $67,975 $46,408 $49,600 $56,883 $80,950 $65,603 $111,883 $80,950 $65,603 $81,883 $80,950 $65,603
Close bank
$15,225 $37,217 $60,817 $71,134 $69,784 $77,381 $32,698 $31,348 $38,945 $24,262 $22,912 $30,509
$10,000
$20,000
Number of days
Watts
Pearce
Kennedy
Thomas
Average
debtor
Average
debtor
days days
Berry
King
Moore
Marks
Jones
Smith
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
180
150
120
90
60
30
0
1
$60,000
10
11
Previous 12 mths
Sales value
Current
toptop
tenten
debtors
Current
debtors
$8,000
$80,000
$70,000
$6,000
$60,000
$4,000
$50,000
$40,000
$2,000
$30,000
$20,000
Harry
Rosa
Moore
Watts
Pearce
Berry
King
Marks
Jones
Smith
$10,000
$
1
10
11
12
Stock
daysby
byitem
item
Stock
days
$8,000
Bunks
$6,000
Tallboy
$4,000
Single bed
$2,000
Queen bed
Mirrors
Outstanding
Credit Limit
Berry
Harry
Rosa
Watts
Marks
Smith
$-
Bedside
Chairs
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Number of days
Current
supplier
Current
supplierbalance
balance
Pine, $2,000
Work
progress
current
Workin
in progess
current
monthmonth
orders orders
$2,500
Belmore, $5,000
$5,000
Taken
Ely, $11,000
Uply, $6,000
$25,000
Completed
Outstanding
Sharp, $10,000
Main, $1,000
South, $2,000
10
$20,000
Returned
12
Conclusion
11
Financial statements
Profit and loss statement for year ended July
Current year ($)
438,707.15
345,314.93
Opening stock
119,979.00
71,573.65
Purchases
224,938.00
214,050.11
344,917.00
285,623.76
96,490.49
119,979.00
Sales
Cost of goods sold
Closing stock
Total cost of goods sold
248,426.51
56.64%
165,644.76
47.97%
Gross profit
190,280.64
43.36%
179,670.17
52.03%
233,294.80
53.18%
200,236.01
57.99%
85,903.42
19.58%
96,691.18
28.00%
(319,198.22)
72.76%
(296,927.19)
85.99%
Operating expenses
Salaries
Overheads
Total operating expenses
Net loss
12
128,917.58
117,257.02
$ 108,234.75
$ 95,776.33
Current year
$
Previous year
% of expense
% of expense
1,740.00
2.03
1,160.00
1.20
Buildings
794.26
0.92
656.39
0.68
Equipment
978.22
1.14
859.64
0.89
1,702.80
1.98
1,626.81
1.68
Grounds
4,656.30
5.42
9,646.20
9.98
Electricity
2,821.48
3.28
2,729.10
2.82
3,220.07
3.75
2,578.55
2.67
355.00
0.41
352.20
0.36
Insurance
1,250.00
1.46
1,200.00
1.24
1,712.51
1.99
1,872.71
1.94
460.04
0.48
Equipment
5,152.84
6.00
5,421.84
5.61
4,324.41
5.03
4,961.39
5.13
Vehicles
Fuel
Registration
Transport contract
Depreciation
Motor vehicles
6,392.29
7.44
6,577.53
6.80
14,515.12
16.90
15,954.60
16.50
277.89
0.32
451.54
0.47
1,017.50
1.18
892.62
0.92
Telephone
2,655.50
3.09
2,960.61
3.06
Staff provisions
1,431.55
1.67
1,665.49
1.72
22,455.00
26.14
19,525.00
20.19
Equipment
620.00
0.72
1,222.22
1.26
Staff training
310.09
0.36
438.18
0.45
Travelling
191.07
0.22
76.63
0.08
529.48
0.62
581.65
0.60
3,013.19
3.51
2,809.30
2.91
579.32
0.67
520.00
0.54
259.30
0.30
117.79
0.12
Postage
364.70
0.42
369.44
0.38
4,504.14
4.66
2,583.53
3.01
1,681.39
1.74
2,818.18
2.91
Advertising
Uniform costs
Rent
Bank charges
Computers
Sundry administration costs
Consultancy fees
Total operating expenses
85,903.42
96,691.18
13
Balance sheet
Current year ($)
Assets
Current assets
Cash/bank
16,320.00
65,777.82
Debtors
14,280.00
32,000.00
Stock
96,490.00
119,979.00
Other
4,210.00
5,500.00
131,300.00
223,256.82
75,000.00
75,000.00
(19,547.35)
(12,969.82)
55,452.65
62,030.18
115,000.00
115,000.00
(66,955.45)
(61,994.06)
Total
48,044.55
53,005.94
Equipment
50,000.00
50,000.00
(41,021.20)
(35,599.36)
8,978.80
14,400.64
112,476.00
129,436.76
Total assets
243,776.00
352,693.52
Creditors
65,000.00
48,000.00
Credit card
15,000.00
12,000.00
80,000.00
60,000.00
20,000.00
20,000.00
100,000.00
80,000.00
272,693.58
389,950.60
(128,917.58)
(117,257.02)
143,776.00
272,693.58
Liabilities
Current liabilities
Non-current liabilities
Bank loan
Total liabilities
Equity
Shareholders funds (including retained earnings, losses)
Less current year accumulated losses
Total net worth
14
Operational activities
Staffing
Full-time equivalent
5.30
Owner/manager
1.30
Apprentice
1.00
Six part-time
3.00
Part-time duties
General sales, orders, quotes
0.80
0.60
0.60
General sales
0.60
0.40
Documentation reviewed
Mark-up policy:
Buying policy:
Job descriptions:
Total liabilities
2.5%
Non-VIP members
VIP members
10%
Schools
Businesses
Garden design customers
15%
20%
25%
15
Analysis of Bundalong retail nursery financial information comparison of benchmark to current and
previous year
Industry
benchmark
Total income
Variance of
current year to
benchmark
Current year
Variance of
current to
previous year
Variance of
previous year
to benchmark
Previous year
$446,556.00
$438,707.15
($7,848.85)
$93,392.22
$345,314.93
($101,241.07)
48.99%
56.63%
7.64%
8.66%
47.97%
(1.02%)
Gross margin
51.01%
43.37%
(7.64%)
(8.66%)
52.03%
1.02%
2.26%
16.90%
14.64%
0.40%
16.50%
14.00%
13.77%
53.18%
39.41%
(4.81%)
57.99%
44.22%
3.74%
7.61%
3.87%
1.40%
6.21%
2.47%
Rent
3.32%
26.14%
22.82%
5.95%
20.19%
16.87%
Bank charges
1.53%
3.51%
1.98%
0.60%
2.91%
1.38%
Total overheads
37.25%
72.76%
35.75%
(13.23%)
85.99%
48.75%
13.76%
(29.39%)
(43.15%)
4.57%
(33.96%)
(47.72%)
Working owners
1.52
1.30
(0.22)
1.30
(0.22)
2.36
4.00
1.64
0.50
3.50
1.14
0.49
(0.49)
(0.49)
Total personnel
4.37
5.30
0.93
0.50
4.80
0.43
3.50
2.30
(1.20)
0.57
1.73
(1.77)
20.00%
22.00%
2.00%
2.00%
20.00%
0%
54.00
59.50
5.50
59.50
5.50
25.00%
58.00%
33.00%
3.00%
55.00%
30.00%
Percentage of sales
made to account
customers
For further detailed commentary on the analysis, refer to the CPA Australia publication Evaluating business performance and
Improving business performance at cpaaustralia.com.au/smallbusiness
16
Current
year
sales
Current
year
sales
< 90
6%
$70,000
< 90
8%
$60,000
$50,000
< 60
18%
$40,000
$30,000
< 30
68%
$20,000
$10,000
$
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
Percentage
of current year sales
Percentage of current year sales
100%
80%
60%
29%
40%
5 Months
Nov Jul
Ma r Feb
Jan
4 Months
Jun Oct
Ma y Apr
20%
0%
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Cash
Mar
Apr
May
14%
12%
$6,000
10%
$5,000
45%
40%
35%
30%
8%
25%
6%
20%
4%
15%
$1,000
2%
10%
$0
0%
$4,000
$3,000
$2,000
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Amount
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
5%
0%
Jul
Percentage of Sales
Aug
Seedlings
Sep
Oct
7.0
$90,000
$80,000
$70,000
$60,000
$5,000
5.0
$4,000
$40,000
3.0
$30,000
2.0
$20,000
$
% of annual sales
1.0
11%
12%
13%
14%
14%
18%
18%
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thur
Fri
Sat
Sun
Roses
Jan
Feb
Natives
Mar
Indoor
Apr
May
Jun
Supplementary stock
$6,000
6.0
4.0
$50,000
Dec
Destroyed
stock
Destroyed
stock
Staff
$100,000
Nov
Fruit Trees
Current
total
sales/staff per
day
Current
yearyear
total
sales/staff
per
day
$10,000
35%
Top sellers
>10%of
of sales
sales $ $
Top sellers
> 10%
$7,000
Sep
36%
Credit
$8,000
Aug
Dec
Sep
Aug
Jun
Monthly
sales
discount
Monthly
sales discount
Jul
3 Months
0.0
$3,000
$2,000
$6,000
$1,000
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
17
CPA219077 10/2011